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Always been interested in IT. Now I'm doing something about it!

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Hi all,

Joined Certforums to get more information regarding becoming an IT professional.

My main aim is to look after the IT systems at my current workplace (who currently outsource all IT support). I am also interested in setting up my own business in PC / Laptop repair, which I currently do basic stuff for family anyway.

Would be grateful for any advice you guys might have regarding both topics.

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Hi Mark,

Welcome to the boards.

What is your current job role? Do you have any experience in an IT position be it admin and such?

Are you looking to be a desktop support tech of server admin?

Either way the best path is to start at the bottom and work your way up, tell your current employer your intentions and get to know your companies system and shadow the external company's techs. (Obviously try to do this on the sly as you don't want them getting wind of what you're trying to achieve.)

For setting up your own company, be aware that any tom dick and harry can say they repair laptops etc, but I'd be more inclined to choose one that had A+ and MS configuring certs over someone that didn't.

Also does your current company have any plans to actually bring the IT support in-house?

To summarise, I would ask your company for any help they can give (don't ask you don't get), research the technology in use at your company and identify what direction you think they will take in the future. This will help you identify your short and long term goals regarding certification, but really any certification is only there to back-up the knowledge you have...

What I would say re your post is you are very ambitious and thats a good thing.
To take over the IT services for your current employers from your current position will take a whole lot of work, study, I would say 2-3 years to complete.

The phrase "fixing laptops for friends and family" crops up a lot, and while it is comendable, it really is the lowest rung where everybody starts their career from, and it is poles apart from working commecially in IT.

My suggestion would be to study A+, Network+ and then depending on what clients your company uses, MCDST (The MCDST If your company uses XP), the MCTS: Windows Vista, Configuration (Windows Vista) or the MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration (For Windows 7)

These certs will show your company you would be able to handle the day to day problems occuring with client machines, at this point if the company was confident that you were capable then maybe they would give you the chance to do support, If I were a business owner, then sorry to say I would allow you anywhere near the network or server side of things at this point (No offence meant, just realistic).

There is also the service side of things to consider, such as Incident and problem management, asseting, security, policies and procedures, all these things need to be considered when running an IT system.

Anyways need to wrap up this post quickly, to run a sucesful IT department on your own you will need desktop support skills, which then you progress to server skills, then progress to Networking skills, progress to management skills.

Welcome to CF, as the others have said well done for choosing IT it can be a really rewarding career choice (then again it can make you want to walk under the nearest bus at times). As before you have a long way to go before taking over the IT support for a company which will take years (depending on your ability to study and outside work commitments).

You should start off with the A+ seeing as you appear to at least have a foundation in repairing other peoples home computers etc, however I would really encourage you away from trying to set up your own business repairing home machines. Take a quick look through your local parish magazine or paper and you will see what I mean. Everywhere is awash with people who will fix home pc's and to actually make any money back on the time and effort you spend fixing said machines is a very unlikely proposition indeed, that time would be better spent studying to get your professional foot in the IT door. The money would be better also spent on a couple of old banger PC's and a few good books (mike meyers AIO, James Pyles!? smart street to name but a few).

I would suggest that perhaps if you are really lucky your company may well get you to do some basic hardware troubleshooting on users desktop pc's but to someone who fixes home pc's with their entire network.... well I would not want to work for them thats for sure. Not being horrible just do not want you to get your hopes up.

EDIT: oh yes and the MCDST expires soon so you are unlikely to be able to get the cert but it shouldn't stop you from studying the material.

however I would really encourage you away from trying to set up your own business repairing home machines.

Click to expand...

What would be recommended as the best path to follow if I did eventually want to set up on my own? I was considering continuing in my day job (which I love) and then doing PC repairs etc on an evening / weekend to get some extra income whilst I build my knowledge up to move onto bigger things.

Can anyone advise the best way to work for myself? What is "hot" at the moment and what would I need to study to get there?

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